Umatilla Chemical Depot Army Base in Umatilla, OR

Contact Information

Phone: (256) 235-7942

Umatilla Chemical Depot is located in the northern part of Oregon, close to the Umatilla human communities. The base is among the most important military bases, judging by the chemical storage site, but also one of the less important ones if you look from a different point of view. The weapons are stored for decades, without ever being officially used. The wide variety of chemical weapons is what made this military facility so important. Some of the most popular factors hosted on site include the HD blister agent or the VX and GB nerve agents. The HD blister agent is actually sulfur mustard, often referred to as mustard gas. At the same time, the VX and GB nerve agents represent mass destruction chemical weapons.

History

Umatilla Chemical Depot is part of the old process of empowering the United States of America with a wide and varied net of military facilities while preparing for World War II. Just like dozens of other bases, it was established in 1941. The mission of the base hasn’t changed at all over the decades. It stored ammunition and blankets for plenty of powerful chemical weapons. However, in its first years, the United States of America used this base for manufacturing processes only and never for storage or maintenance. Starting with 1962, things changed a little. During the Cold War, the facility also stored its work, especially since such weapons were never officially used. Over those years, it stored more than 10% of the overall stockpile of the USA.

After the Cold War ended, the uses of this base were significantly decreased. The upcoming invasions seemed pretty easy for the massive American force, whether you count Afghanistan or Iraq. Over the ’90s, the production was almost completely ceased. The base was entirely reorganized, while the BRAC (Base Realignment And Closure) commissions repeatedly evaluated its importance. By 1994, it was scheduled for closure. Plenty of weapons were sent to other bases. However, it is still alive.

Judging by an official press release, all the chemical weapons on site have been successfully destroyed under extreme safety measures. By these times, there is no other weapon stored there officially. The base is scheduled for closure in 2015, but who knows? No one can tell how the worldwide conflicts and wars go by then. In order to support the increase and credibility for the weapons destruction, the authorities built a destruction facility in 2001, close to Umatilla Chemical Depot. The disposal began in 2004. Almost 5000 tons of such weapons are said to be gone now by incineration.

As the base history reaches to an end, there will be eight similar bases left alive only. It was one of the nine storage sites for chemical weapons. Over the years, no notable negative events were officially recorded. The local authorities worked tightly with the Umatilla Chemical Depot professionals and experts to ensure the protection and safety of the human communities nearby. The environment was also safe, after being constantly checked for leakage or infestations.